huizer



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

S. L. HUIZER; APPARATUS FOR DRYING COFFEE, &c.

No. 483,923. Paten'tedOdt. '4', 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2;

s. L. HUIZER. APPARATUS FOR DRYING COFFEE, 650.

No. 483,923. Patented Oct. 4, 1892.

- m: noams PETERS co, PNOYD-LIYNIL, wnsnmarou n. c-

U ITED ST TES PATENT rrrcn.

SAMUEL LEENDERT HUIZER, OF THE HAGUE, HOLLAND.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING COFFEE, 84C.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 483,923, dated October4, 1892. Application filed September 10, 1891.: Serial No. 405,364. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL LEENDERT HUIZER, engineer, a subject of theQueen of Holland, and a resident of 180 Riouwstraat, The Hague, in theKingdom of Holland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inand Relating to Apparatus for Drying Ooifee, Cocoa, Pepper, and theLike, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad tothe accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to apparatus for drying cofiee, cocoa, pepper, andthe like. i

The apparatussuch as those hitherto employed on plantations for dryinglarge quantities of coffee, cocoa, pepper, and the like present more orless serious inconveniences, especially when they are entrusted tounskilled and inexperienced people, as is generally the case onplantations. The cause of this is that the drying is effected by an openfire by which it is extremely difficult'todry properly without thetemperature becoming higher than that which the produce is able to bearwithoutinjury to its quality. Moreover, in most of the drying apparatusmanual labor is continuously required for stirring the produce, in orderto effect a uniform heating of the entire material. This work, when donewithout exercising sufficient care, may occasion the deterioration andeven. the loss of the produce. I have found that great advantages may beobtained by the employment of a current of hot air passing slowlythrough a layer of the produce or by the employment of a perforatedcircular bottom upon whichthe produce is spread, or of devices forautomatically turning over the produce during the drying.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may beconveniently and advantageously carried into practice.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is atransverse section of the latter. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section ofthe same. Fig. at is a plan thereof, the roof being removed. Figs. 5 and6 are an elevation and plan of the mixing device of the apparatus.

In the several figures similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts of the apparatus.

According to this invention I provide a building A, preferablyconstructed of metal and having a roof with means for ventilation.

In the sides of the building are openings for the doors and for thenecessary ventilation. In the interior of the building is a smallcircula r wall 13, upon which rollers E are mounted in stirrups fixed tothe wall. A perforated metallic bottom D, turning upon a pivot O, isadapted to move on the said roller. For this purpose the bottom isprovided above with a rail cast in one piece with the circular frame ofthe said perforated bottom and bearing constantly upon the rollers E.U'ponavertical part of the above-mentioned small wallB are fixed two ormore girders G, held at the center upon the head of the pivot C. Fromeach girder is suspended by means of 'equilibrated levers H a so-calledrake I, formed by a bar J of wood or iron, to which are fixed woodenteeth K at uniform distances from each other. These teeth have at theirlower parts the form of double plowshares and are prolonged to theperforated bottom. In order to prevent the teeth rubbing too muchagainst the said bottom, the rakes are kept balanced by means ofcounter-weights L, mounted upon I the levers H. The rotation of theperforated bottom takes place through the medium of a transmitting-gearset in motion by a small steam engine or other suitable motor. In someinstances I effect the transmission of the movement through the mediumof aworm; which engages with a worm-wheel acting in its turn upon a gearcast in one piece with the circular frame of the perforated bottom. Whenthe latter rotates, the material by reason of the rakes is several timesturned over, andtheteeth are arranged in such a manner that the samefurrows are never followed by the teeth of the two consecutive rakes, asis shown in Fig. 3, where the path traveled by the second rake isindicated in dotted lines. At the exterior of the building and bearingdirectly against one of the walls of the latter is provided a chamber N,communicating through openings with the space below the perforatedbottom. I place in this chamber a heating device P, while in an openingprovided in the front wall of the said chamber is mounted a fan Q, setin motion by the motor which actuates the perforated bottom.

motor is a steam-engine and when the heating is effected by steam, theboiler R feeds this motor and the heating device at the same time.

The proportion between the heating-surface of the heating device and theeffectiveness of the fan is such that the temperature of the heated airin the normal state shall be lower 7 in the following manner-that is tosay: The

drying, and the stirring takes place so as to.

fresh produce is spread in the form of a uniform layer upon theperforated bottom after steam has been generated in the boiler. In orderto facilitate this operation, the bottom is set in motion while theworkmen spread the material. After the bottom has been covered withmaterial the doors are closed, the stirring of the produce beingeffected entirely by the rake. By this means the stealing of any produceis obviated during the preclude any deterioration. Then the fan is setin motion and steam admitted into the heating device; or, in case theheating takes place by the products of combustion, the fire is lightedin the apparatus. The cold air which is forced into the heating-chamberN by the action of the fan impinges against the surfaces of the heatingdevice and is heated to a high temperature. By reason of the operationof the fan this hot and dry air is sent through the above-mentionedopening 0 into the space below the perforated bottom, then through thelatter, and the produce spread upon this bottom. Owing, morewholematerial takes place without any necessity for giving the leastattention to it.

Owing to the continuous passage of hot air the latter, after it haspassed through the layer of the produce, escapes to the exterior throughopenings provided for this purpose in the roof and in the walls orpartitions of the building, even when by the humidity of the produce thetemperature of this air has been lowered to that of the exterior air.Accordingly, the temperature imparted to the air by the surfaces of theheating device does not require to be higher than that which is neces-7o sary for the proper drying, so that the quality of the produce shallnot be injured nor any loss of hot air shall take place.

No part of the apparatus is subjected to much wear, and the cost ofkeeping it in order is Very small. This drying apparatus, therefore,acts without liability to deterioration of the material by too high atemperature or by too abrupt action, as has heretofore been the case,and this result is obtained by a minimum of manual labor, attendance,consumption of fuel, wear, and maintenance, independently of the littleexperience required by the workmen.

The arrangement of the drying apparatus hereinbefore described may bevariously modified to adapt the same to the nature of the produce to bedried, especially as regards the employment of the devices for heatingby steam or air and the number and arrange- 9o ment of the fans.

What I claim is In an apparatus for drying coffee, cocoa, pepper, andthe like, the combination, with perforated rotating floor, of thestationary girders G, levers H, pivoted to said girders, rakes havingplowshareshaped shoes secured to one end of said levers, acounterbalance-weight secured to the other end of said levers, anair-heating chamber communic'at- 10o ing by a passage with the spaceunder the perforated floor, a fan for supplying air to saidheating-chamber, and means, substantially as described, for operatingsaid fan and for moving said perforated rotating floor, :05

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL LEENDERT HUIZER.

Witnesses:

H. MAKKIE, WALTER E. GARDNER.

